Song Kol Lake

Song-Köl Lake
Northern shore of the Song-Köl
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Coordinates	[ ⚑ ] : 41°50′N 75°10′E / 41.833°N 75.167°E / 41.833; 75.167
Type	Endorheic Mountain lake
rivers, streams, precipitation">Primary inflows	Glaciers
rivers, streams, evaporation">Primary outflows	Evaporation and the Song Köl River
Basin countries	Kyrgyzstan
Surface area	270 km2 (100 sq mi)
Max. depth	13 m (43 ft)
Water volume	2.64 km3 (2,140,000 acre⋅ft)
Surface elevation	3,016 m (9,895 ft)
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Son-Kol Lake
Designated	23 January 2011
Reference no.	1943[1]

Song Köl (also Son Kul, Songköl, Song-Köl; Kyrgyz: Соңкөл, IPA: [sóɴkœl], literally "following lake") is an alpine lake in northern Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan. It lies at an altitude of 3016 m, and has an area of about 270 km² and volume of 2.64 km³. The lake's maximum length is 29 km, breadth about 18 km, and the deepest point is 13.2 m. It is the second largest lake in Kyrgyzstan after Issyk Kul Lake, and the largest fresh water lake in Kyrgyzstan.

Geography

High altitude Song Köl belongs to Naryn River basin. The lake sits in the central part of Song Köl Valley surrounded by Songköl Too ridge from the north, and Borbor Alabas and Moldo Too mountains from the south. Hydrologically, Song Köl basin is characterized by poorly developed surface stream flows, and substantial subsurface flow. Four perennial rivers - Kum-Bel', Ak-Tash, Tash-Dobo, and Kara-Keche - disgorge themselves into the lake. In the south-east, the structural high is cut through by Song Köl river that flows into Naryn River.^[2]

Environment

Climate

The mean temperature in the lake basin is −3.5 °C (25.7 °F) with mean temperature of −20 °C (−4 °F) in January, and 11 °C (52 °F) in July. Annual precipitation averages 300–400 mm from April to October, and 100–150 mm from November to March. Snow cover in the lake basin persists for 180 to 200 days a year. In winter the lake surface freezes, the ice becoming as much as 1-1.2 m thick. The ice on the Song Köl begins to thaw in the middle or at the end of April, and completely disappears by late May.^[3][4]

Ecology

In 2011, Song Köl was designated by Kyrgyzstan as its third Wetland of International Importance for the Ramsar List.^[5]

References

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